AROUND THE SCHOOLS

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Pennsylvania College of Optometry

Althea Rhoden Grey of Fort Mill has been awarded the degree of Doctor of Audiology by the School of Audiology. She earned a Bachelor of Science in speech-language pathology from Andrews University and an M.A. in audiology and speech science from Michigan State University.

Dr. Grey works with Ear, Nose, Throat and Audiology Associates of the Carolinas in Charlotte and Rock Hill.

University of South Carolina -- Columbia

Jonathan David McGuirt, son of David and Barbara McGuirt, recently graduated magna cum laude with a Bachelor of Science in the biological sciences. He was a member of Phi Beta Kappa and Golden Key honor society. He will attend the University of South Carolina School of Medicine in August. He is a 2002 graduate of Rock Hill High School.

The Council of Chambers of York County, of which the York County Regional Chamber is a part, recently chose the participants in the 2007-2008 Youth Leadership York County class.

Students who have been selected for the program are: Courtney Barnett and Mallen Urso from Clover High School; Taylor Hoverman and Kaitlin Lieck from Fort Mill High School; Matthew Lang, London Ocon, Amanda Schuermann and Kayla Williams from Nation Ford High School; Danielle Kutz and Ty Youngblood from Northwestern High School; Katherine Dixon, Sara Horne and Richard Lee from Rock Hill High School; Hannalea Finch, Taylor Skaggs and Patrick Williams from South Pointe High School; and Matthew Bledsoe from York Comprehensive High School.

The youth leadership program, or "YouLead," is an eight-month-long experience designed for high school students from public and private schools in York County. Besides developing leadership skills, YouLead participants will meet local and state government officials, tour area businesses with local industry leaders, volunteer with York County service agencies and gain a greater understanding of the community that they call home. Through the program, organizers hope to not only teach leadership skills, but to also encourage the students to further their educations and apply their own life experiences as they live, work and become active members of the York County community.

Students from six York County schools submitted applications for the program, which is sponsored by Bowater, Burns Cadillac & Chevrolet, Piedmont Medical Center, Comporium Communications, The Herald and the Upper Palmetto YMCA.

Donnie Strubler, a recent graduate of Northwestern High School, received a scholarship award and was recognized as a "Technology Champion" at a special celebration kicking off the South Carolina Department of Education's Education and Business Summit held recently in Greenville. He was honored along with 15 other high school seniors from across the state who excelled in career and technology education programs while in high school. The event was presented by the S.C. Education and Business Alliance and sponsored by Silver Crescent Foundation.

Strubler was honored as a Technology Champion in Computer Animation by the Catawba Technology Education Consortium. He represented the Applied Technology Center in the state SkillsUSA Competition and placed second two years in a row.

He is a skilled long-boarder/skateboarder and has created his own "reel" and his own "short" animated movie. He will attend Full Sail University to become a professional animator.